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whimsicalish's review
4.0
But I do appreciate the honesty, even if it was difficult to read.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
yomireads's review against another edition
3.5
This book is deeply painful and unflinchingly honest about very difficult things, and I was not the target audience for this story. Having said that, I appreciate and applaud the courage and skill of this memoir. It's a beautifully written and powerfully moving story that I believe needed to be told. I know there are many who will benefit from reading this and feel seen, connected to, and unalone in these pages.
For my part, I found the nonlinear storytelling to be confusing and quite hard to keep straight in my mind as far as who was alive, when events happened relative to one another, and the relative age of anyone at any given moment. I was deeply disturbed by the graphic depictions of her sexual assault, but feel uncomfortable truly criticizing it as I know feeling disturbed is a part of what is meant to be evoked, and any victim should be permitted to claim their story and find strength in it however they can.
All else that might have made me squirm, I have no true qualms as far as the memoir goes, as a critique of non fiction, by its very nature, can't be about story content. It's about a life, and no outside observer/reader can truly say what deserves to be included in that realm.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Homophobia
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, and Infertility
merldia's review
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
honeyvoiced's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Blood, Antisemitism, and Grief
Minor: Suicide attempt, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
brassnbooks's review against another edition
4.5
The last chapter of the book was honestly my favorite part especially with it going back and forth between her and her mom's timeline
I don't have much to say besides READ. THIS. BOOK. Anyone wants a suggestion for a good memoir to read this is it
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
noladawnreads's review against another edition
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
jmcampbell57's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual content, Vomit, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
Minor: Ableism and Body shaming
horizonous's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Vomit, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
◦ Alcohol = inlc. underage drinking◦ Sexual assault = especially in the chapter "The Feels of Love"
caseythereader's review against another edition
4.75
- This book is incredible. Madden is detailing some horrific events, and yet this book is so tender, both toward her younger self and her family.
- At first I wasn't sure about the vignette style of storytelling, with all the jumping around in time. I'm glad I stuck with it, though, because the way Madden's story unwinds at the end of the book is spectacular.
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail